


if heaven's grief brings hell's reign

by ElasticElla



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s01e03 Dead Man's Party, F/F, Manipulation, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 13:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11760759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: Alec grabs Jace’s arm, mutters something about her being Valentine’s daughter, and Jace doesn’t stop Clary from going after Simon alone.





	if heaven's grief brings hell's reign

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctorkaitlyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorkaitlyn/gifts).



> it's been some time since i wrote these lovelies, and their season one selves at that ^.^ 
> 
> title from fob's just one yesterday

It’s a chilly walk to the Hotel Dumort, chillier still because Clary keeps imagining monsters in every other shadow. It doesn’t help matters that she knows demons are real now, and all the damn legends too. She isn’t waking up from this nightmare, it’s been going on far too long. Her father is some mass murdering cult leader, and none of the shadowhunters would tell her any more than that, didn’t even want her knowing that much.

She can’t imagine the vampires will want to deal with the daughter of someone like that, but it has to be better than dealing with him directly. At the very least, she might be able to save her best friend. (She hates how pragmatic her thinking’s become, that if Valentine wants her mother dead, time isn’t relevant anymore.)

Her phone directs her to the address, and there’s a man waiting outside with an overly neutral expression. He’s one of the ones that kidnapped Simon, and her jaw clenches. 

“This is a dangerous place for you,” he says quietly, “walk away.” 

His words sap the last of her nerves away, her spine turning to steel. “I’m here to speak with Camille.” 

A figure appears up the balcony, too high to be sure, but she thinks it’s the woman in charge. 

“This way,” he says, and Clary follows him into the hotel. They pass a few dozen vampires on the way to the elevator, and Clary feels silly for being surprised by them just hanging out as regular people do. The legends all being true was clearly an oversimplification, otherwise her throat would have been ripped out by now. 

They’re a floor from the top when the man turns to her, “Ms. Belcourt will not release your friend easily.” 

Clary crosses her arms, “But she will do it.” 

He raises an eyebrow, about to reply when the door dings open and his face goes back to eerily perfect neutrality. 

“Right,” Clary mutters, walking out when he doesn’t. “Thanks uh, for bringing me up.”

There’s a pretty laugh over her shoulder, and Clary turns to see Camille. 

“There’s no need to thank Raphael darling, he’s merely doing my bidding. Come, sit with me. What do you drink?” 

Clary turns back to Raphael uncertainly, but he’s already gone. “Um, just water please,” Clary says, sitting on the couch. 

Camille rises to fetch a pitcher of water, comes back and sits close, setting it on the table. 

Her thigh is a cool line against Clary’s and as she leans forward to pour her a glass, Clary forces her eyes around the room, away from the gorgeous vampire. 

“I want you to free Simon.” 

Camille straightens up, passes her the glass and plucks up her own clearly filled with blood. “As long as you hear me out, he can leave right now.” 

Clary’s eyes go wide, relief flooding her quick, “Yes, absolutely. I’ll stay, just let him go home safe.” 

Camille picks up a landline, and at any other point Clary would be bewildered at anyone choosing to use those in this day and age, holding the phone between them. 

“Raphael darling, let Mr. Lewis go free. Out the front, no one is to touch him.” 

“Yes’m.” 

Camille hangs up, and flicking a clicker, a flatscreen comes to life, a live feed of the security cameras by the gates. A moment later Raphael appears with Simon, telling him to go home before the coven leader changes her mind. Simon doesn’t look back at that, and Clary doesn’t even care what happens next. Simon is safe, she’s already won. 

“I’m going to tell you a story little shadowhunter, and in the end, you’ll get the cup for me,” Camille says. 

Clary doesn’t believe that- so far it seems like destroying the cup would be best- but she rolls her shoulders back, meeting Camille’s eyes. “I’m listening.” 

Camille licks her lips, and Clary’s abruptly reminded that their thighs are still pressed together, that they’re both crowded on one end of the couch. It’s the worst time to have thoughts like this, and Clary gulps down some of the ice water. 

“Valentine was the face of the anti-downworlder movement, but to be clear- it was never just him and his Circle. A group of thirty can only wreck so much devastation, it was with the Clave’s tacit acceptance, of never hunting their own down, of ignoring countless reports of shadowhunters abusing downworlders. The Clave allowed the Circle to grow and fester, allowed it to try and eliminate the entire downworld. It was only when the Circle turned on the Clave for not being extreme enough that they did anything. And allowing the Circle members to live as long as they wore a mark to this day? A joke of a punishment.” 

Clary is going to be sick, horror and revulsion twisting her stomach. 

“I… I had no idea. That’s-” Clary shakes her head, “I can’t believe you’re talking to me at all.” 

Camille’s lips curl up, long nails tapping her glass, “You aren’t your father, didn’t even know of this world until very recently.”

“Yeah, but still-” Clary winces, the realization coming to her too fast. “That’s why he wants the cup, to do- for genocide.” 

“Your friend was never in danger,” Camille says, toying with one of Clary’s curls. It’s a sudden shift and Clary doesn’t entirely believe her, but Simon’s home now, she isn’t going to think about the specifics. 

“If we find the cup,” Clary starts, “you’ll destroy it?” 

Camille sighs, sips deeply from her glass. (Her lips go a brighter, glossier red, and Clary’s pulse shouldn’t trip at that.) “The mortal instruments cannot be destroyed. But as long as no shadowhunter has the cup, an army cannot be created from it.”

Clary bites her lower lip, “Could you keep it safe?” 

“Yes,” Camille says without hesitation. 

“Okay,” Clary says, making her decision. She knows the shadowhunters she just met wouldn’t approve- but they wanted to wait to help Simon. And her mother had kept her hidden from _all_ shadowhunters, not just her father. Had told her not to trust anyone. But her mother trusted Dot, a warlock, and another warlock at least, and Camille’s story makes more sense. She hadn’t sugar coated the truth or tried to steer her away from it. 

“I know someone took the memories from me, but I don’t know who. Or how to access them. I know it isn’t a good starting point-”

“Actually it is,” Camille cuts her off, holding her hands. 

Clary can’t help the blush, “It is?” 

Camille smiles, “You truly wish to help us downworlders?” 

And Clary thinks of Dot, _knows_ she wasn’t a monster. “Anything.” 

“You remember nothing of the one that took your memories?” Camille checks. 

Clary frowns, “I think it was a man? Sorry, I’m not positive.” 

“It’s okay,” Camille says, rubbing her thumbs over Clary’s knuckles. “If I turn you, you’ll remember everything, birth to present.” 

“That’s incredible,” Clary says, isn’t sure what she ate last week for breakfast much less something as important as the cup’s location. 

“However,” Camille warns, “it won’t retrieve stolen memories. It will hit you all at once, you’ll need to be extremely focused to find any clues where your mother would hide it. They will not be sharp for long, will fade as old memories do, only faster.”

Camille smirks, squeezing her hands, “And you’ll be a vampire for eternity.”

Clary lets out a breathless laugh at that, “Somehow that part doesn’t seem as nerve-wracking.” 

Camille shrugs, drops her hands and purposefully drinks from her glass. “It’s a big decision, don’t make it lightly.” 

“I have to, there are countless lives but… he has my mother. I can’t save her.” 

“Clary,” Camille whispers, and Clary feels herself gravitate towards Camille, has to stop herself from physically toppling into her lap. “If we get the cup, we control the entire shadow world. And the first thing we do is eradicate the Circle once and for all, no mercy, and free all of Valentine’s hostages.”

“Do it,” Clary says, “I’m sure.” 

Camille smiles, cups her face in both hands. “One last thing,” Camille says, and Camille’s kissing her gently. She tastes like blood and a new beginning, and Clary has never been more certain.

**Author's Note:**

> ...soooo i posted this late at night and rereading it today i actually do wanna flesh out the rest, no promises on how long that could take but um yeah *scampers off*


End file.
